Method and apparatus for preparing coiled strip



July 25, 1967 J. J. HlEGEL 3,332,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING COILED STRIP Filed Feb. 3, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 6; INVENTOR.

JdSEPl-l .1. HIEGEL ATTOR FIG.2

1967 J. J. HIEGEL 3,332,268

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING COILED STRIP Filed Feb. 5, 5 Sheets-$heet 2 INVENTOR.

J. HIEGEL July 25, 1967 J. J. HIEGEL 3,332,268 I METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING COILED STRIP Filed Feb. 5, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. JOSEPH J. HIEGEL July 25, 1967 J. .1. HIEGEL 3,332,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING COIIJED STRIP Filed Feb. 3, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 6

INV JOSEPH J. HIEGEL July 25, 1967 .1. J. HIEGEL 3,332,268

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING COILED STRIP Filed Feb. 5, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 8

INVENTOR. JOSEPH J. HIEGEL United States Patent 3,332,268 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING CGILED STRIP Joseph J. Hiegel, Salem, Ohio, assignor to E. W. Bliss Company, Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 341,876 Claims. (Cl. 72180) This invention pertains to the art of preforming coiled strip for feeding into a rolling mill stand preparatory to a rolling operation.

The invention particularly pertains to preparation of the lead end of coiled metal strip which preparation materially improves the ability of the lead end of the strip to make starting engagement .between the work rolls of a mill stand, although it will be appreciated that the invention may also be used in preparing other forms of coiled strip and the like.

One of the daily problems encountered in the operation of a rolling mill is that of feeding the lead end portion of the metal strip into the mill for re-rolling. The problem resides in the inherent tendency of an unsupported lead end of strip to curl downwardly under its own weight. A simple demonstration may be made by holding an elongated strip of paper at one end; whereupon it will be observed that the paper curls downwardly for lack of support.

Heretofore workmen have been utilized to hold or support the lead end portion of a coiled metal strip in order to thread the strip into the mill. In some instances mechanical entry sticker guides have been also utilized to guide the lead end portion into the mill, but such techniques are expensive since the guides must be adapted for various widths and gauges of the strip.

The present invention is directed toward an apparatus and method for forming the lead end portion of a coiled strip in a novel manner so that the strip may be easily threaded into a rolling mill without requiring the assistance of workmen and/ or mechanical guides.

In accordance with this invention at least one longitudinally extending rib is formed intermediate the coil and the front edge margin of the coil leading end. In this manner the lead end portion of the coil will he stiffened sufficiently to be self-supporting and it will therefore be enabled to extend outwardly from the coil in cantilever fashion sufficient to provide substantially self-guiding entry into the mill. The number of ribs required will, of course, be a function of the width of the strip.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for forming at least one longitudinally extending rib in the lead end portion of a coil of such gentle configuration that when the strip is subsequently re-rolled the rib will also be re-rolled into the strip without strip deformation.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus and method for forming the lead end portion of a coiled strip in a novel manner so that the strip may be easily threaded into a rolling mill.

Another object of the present invention is to form at least one longitudinally extending rib along a portion of the length of the lead end portion of a coiled strip so that the lead end portion will be rendered self-supporting for substantially self-entry into a rolling mill.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel coil of strip having a self-supporting lead end thereof, which is positionable for self-guiding entry into a mill stand.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description used to illustrate the preferred embodiments of the invention as read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

3,332,258 Patented July 25, 1967 FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a coiled steel strip having a lead end portion thereof formed according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a left side elevational view of an apparatus according to the present invention for forming the lead end portion of the coiled strip shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view partly in section of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 55 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a schematic view partly in section similar to that illustrated in FIGURE 3, and illustrating the end strip portion being fed into the coil preparation machine;

FIGURE 7 is similar to that as shown in FIGURE 6, but illustrating the status of the strip and machine after having just cropped the end of the lead end portion of the strip;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to that as shown in FIG- URE 6, but illustrating the status of the strip and machine when the top forming roll frame is retracted;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURES 1, 9 and 10, there is illustrated an elongated steel strip 10 which has been previously formed, as by rolling, with relatively uniform thickness and width throughout its length. The strip 10 is spirally coiled upon itself for a substantial portion of its length to define a coil 11. The remaining length of strip 10 defines a lead end portion 12 terminatingin a transverse edge 16.

In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of longitudinally extending and parallelly aligned ribs 14 are provided in lead end portion 12. The ribs 14 protrude outwardly predominantly from the same side of the strip 10 relative to coil portion 12, as shown in FIGURE 9. Ribs 14 extend for a length L from margin M to a line of tangency T of coil 11. The lead end portion 12, :due to the stiffening or supporting effect of the ribs 14, extends in a cantilever fashion from the coil portion 11 in a self-supporting manner and will not curl downwardly under its own weight. In this manner, portion 12 exhibits sufiicient structural rigidity that when the strip is transported to a rolling mill the lead end portion will provide substantially self-guiding entry into the mill without the use of workmen or mechanical guides. Thereafter, the unribbed portion for the marginal distance M adjacent the free edge 16 which is fiat, facilitates threading of the strip into the mill. Further, the ribs 14 are formed with arcuate cross section of substantially equal radius, which radius is such that the rib contours are rendered sufficiently gentle that they may be rolled into a flat surface.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 through 5, there is illustrated a coil preparation machine 20 for forming longitudinal ribs 14 in the lead end portion 12 of a coiled steel strip 10. The coil preparation machine 20 includes a lower forming roll support frame 24 and a triangular shaped upper forming roll frame 26, pivotally mounted to frame 24- at its bottom left corner, as viewed in FIG- URE 3, by means of a pivot post 28. The upper frame 26 may be pivoted between a rib forming position, as shown in FIGURE 4, to a fully retracted position, as shown by the dotted lines in FIGURE 2, by appropriate power means such as a solenoid operated hydraulic cylinder 30. The cylinder 30 is pivotally mounted at one end to the frame 24 by means of trunnion 32 and at the other end to the apex of the triangular shaped frame 26 by means of another trunnion 34.

tatably support the ends of an upper forming roll 36 by means of suitable bearings 38 and 40. Similarly, the lower frame 24 serves to rotatably support a lower forming roll 42 at its opposite ends by means of suitable bearings 44 and 46. A motor 48 is drivingly connected to one end of roll 42 in a suitable manner so that roll 42 may also serve a driven roll.

Forming roll 36 takes the form of a cylindrical shaft 50 having a plurality of annular rib forming tires 52 of arcuate cross section coaxially mounted thereon and spaced from each other by means of cylindrical spacers 54 as shown in FIGURE 4, of smaller external diameter than that of tires 52. Similarly, forming roll 42 takes the form of a cylindrical shaft 56 having a plurality of annular rib forming tires 58 coaxially mounted thereon and axially spaced from each other by means of cylindrical spacers 60 and 61 of smaller external diameters than that of tires 58. The spacers 61 immediately adjacent opposing sides of each tire 58 are recessed relative to the remaining spacers 60 on shaft 56 so as to form annular channels 62 and 64 adjacent opposite sides of each tire 58. The number of tires 52 on shaft 50 is double that of the number of tires 58 on shaft 56 so that two adjacent tires 52 may be associated with each tire 58 for purposes of forming the ribs 14 in strip 10. The tires 52 associated with each tire 58 are axially spaced apart suificiently that they axially straddle the associated tire 58 and are received in channels 62 and 64, respectively, which are each of a width somewhat greater than the width of each tire 52. The tires 52 and 58 are preferably constructed so that their peripheral cross sectional contours are arcuate and are the same radius to form gentl convolutions or ribs 14.

The defiinition of the ribs 14 formed in steel strip may be controlled by means of adjustable plungers or jacks 66 annd 68 mounted on and extending from opposite ends of upper frame 26. During the rib forming operations the free ends of jacks 66 and 68 extend downwardly and rest on support pads 70 and 72, respectively, provided on opposite ends of the lower frame 24, as best shown in FIGURE 4. The adjustable jacks 66 and 68 are both mechanically interconnected with a hand operated crank wheel 74, which serves to adjust both of the jacks simultaneously and thereby adjust the penetration of tire 58 between tires 52. In this manner the gentleness of the convolutions or ribs 14 may be regulated.

As will be described with more particularity hereinafter, the machine forms ribs 14 in strip 10 as the strip is being retracted from the machine rather than when entering so that the free end of strip 10 may be sheared prior to the formation of ribs 14. Accordingly, it is desirable during the period the strip is entering the machine, i.e., between forming rolls 36 and 42, that the upper roll 36 be adjusted relative to the bottom roll 42 so that the tires 52 do not penetrate into channels 62 and 64. For this purpose, a pair of hydraulic operated jacks 76 and 78 are provided at opposite ends of the lower frame 24, each having a plunger 80 extending vertically upward therefrom so that its free end engages a pad 82 provided in a recess 84 in the corresponding end of upper frame 26. The length of each plunger 80 is preferably such that when the plungers are extended, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the peripheries of tires 52 and 58 are essentially in tangential relationship, but may be vertically spaced from each other by a slight amount substantially the thickness of strip 10. In this manner, as strip 10 is being fed into the machine 20 between forming rolls 36 and 42, the tires 52 and 58 do not serve to form ribs in the strip, but to respectively drive and guide the strip into the machine.

The machine 20 is provided with a coil unwrapping or peeling knife 90, which is adjustably mounted on the frame 24 by means of a pair of hydraulic cylinders 92 and 94 so that the knife may be adjusted for coils of different diameters. The coil portion 11 of the strip 10 may be positioned relative to the machine 20 by means of a pair of positioning rolls 94 and 96 and held in place by means of a hold down roll 98, The positioning rolls 94 and 96 are suitably driven so as to rotate coil portion 11 about its coil axis so that the lead end portion 12 thereof may be peeled from the coil by means of knife and driven into the machine 20 between rolls 36 and 42.

The machine 20 is also provided with a pair of straight edge shearing knife blades 100 and 102 mounted on frame 24 for purposes of cropping or shearing the lead end of portion 12 so as to obtain a straight edge 16 at the free end of lead portion 12, which edge is perpendicular of the longitudinal side edges of strip 10. The shearing knife blade 100 is stationary and shearing knife blade 102 is vertically movable with respect to blade 100. Blade 102 is suitably powered by means of a hydraulic cylinder 104 mounted on frame 24. A chute 103 is mounted on frame 24 below knife blades 100 and 102 to facilitate removal of the cropped section from strip 10.

Intermediate the shearing knife blades 102 and 100 and the forming rolls 36 and 42 there is provided an L- shaped limit trip switch arm 106 pivotally mounted at one end to the frame 24 by means of a pivot post 107. Switch arm 106 is counterbalanced so as to normally be located in the path of the lead end portion 12 of strip 10, as shown in FIGURE 3. The switch arm 106 serves when the free end 16 of lead end portion 12, after having been cropped by knife blades 100 and 102, is being retracted from machine 20 to pivot in a clockwise direction about post 107, as viewed in FIGURE 3, to open a normally closed switch 108, as shown in FIGURE 5. This deenergizes the solenoid controlled hydraulic cylinder 30 via interconnecting conductors 109 and 111 to the position shown by the dotted lines in FIGURE 2.

Interposed between the switch arm 106 and the forming rolls 36 and 42 there is provided a stripper finger 110 which is vertically movable for purposes of facilitating retraction of lead end portion 12 of strip 10 in the event that a portion there is caught or stuck in the machine, such as to roll 42. The stripper finger 110 is powered by suitable means such as a fluid cylinder 11). mounted on frame 24.

Referring now in particular to FIGURES 6, 7 and 8, there is illustrated the method of forming ribs 14 in the lead end portion 12 of strip 10. The coiled portion 11 of steel strip 10 to be formed with ribs 14 is placed on positioning rolls 94 and 96 and held in place by means of a hold down roll 98. The peeling knife 90 is then adjusted relative to the machine 20, as well as to the coiled portion 11, by means of hydraulic cylinders or jacks 92 and 94 so that the knife portion 90 serves to strip or uncoil the lead end portion 12 of strip 10. With the fluid controlled adjustment jack 76 energized so that plungers 80 are extended, the solenoid operated fluid cylinder 30 is energized whereby the upper frame 26 takes the position as shown by the solid lines in FIGURE 2. The machine 20 is then ready to receive the lead end portion 12 of strip 10.

The rolls 94 and 96 are driven so as to rotate coil por tion 11 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 3, driving the lead end portion 12 into the machine between rolls 36 and 42 until the uncropped end of the lead end portion is just beyond the shearing knife blades 102 and 100. At this point the operator will stop the driven rolls and energize fluid cylinder 104 for a sufficient time to cause shearing knife blade 102 to plunge downwardly shearing or cropping a portion of the length of strip 10. The cropped portion falls downwardly under the force of gravity and by means of chute 103 may be conveyed to a suitable scrap pile. The lead end portion 12 is at this time substantially flat with a straight edge 16 defined at its free end.

The adjustment jacks 76 are then de-energized causing plungers 80 to retract whereby the adjustable jacks 66 and 68 rest on pads 70 and 72, respectively, and tires 52 penetrate into the channels 62 and 64 by a predetermined amount as adjusted by means of adjustment crank 74. The driven rolls 94, 96 and 36 are then operated to retract the steel strip from machine 20, i.e., the coil portion 11 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8. As' the lead end portion 12 is being retracted the rib forming tires 52 and 58 cooperate to form ribs 14 in the lead end portion 12, extending longitudinally of the strip and of substantially identical formation. As the cropped edge 16 of strip 10 passes over the switch arm 106, corresponding to a predetermined rib length L, the arm pivots in a clockwise direction about its pivot axis 107, as viewed in FIGURE 8, whereby the normally closed switch 108 is opened deenergizing the solenoid cont-rolled fluid cylinder 30. This will retract upper frame 26, which pivots in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot shaft 28, as viewed in FIGURE 8, to its retracted position. Retraction of frame 26 and hence of forming roll 36 leaves the lead end 12 of strip 10 without any ribs for the distance M adjacent edge 16, which distance is dictated by the spaced relationship of switch arm 106 and the forming rolls, as well as the retraction velocity of strip 10 past the rolls. In this manner a relatively flat end portion for distance M is obtained, facilitating threading of strip 10 into a rolling mill. If the operator observes that the end portion 12 of strip 10 is having difficulty in being released from roll 42, the stripper finger control cylinder 112 may be energized, displacing stripper finger 110 vertically upward to the position shown by the dotted lines in FIGURE 8, thereby ejecting lead end portion 12 from the lower roll 36. The hold down roll 98 is then retracted while the driven rolls 94 and 96 continue to rotate the coil portion 11 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 8, until the lead end portion 12 of strip 10 pivots upwardly in a clockwise direction to the position shown by the dotted lines in FIGURE 8. Thereafter, the coiled strip 10 with the ribs 14 formed thereon may be transported by suitable conveying means to a rolling mill for rerolling.

It is appreciated that the invention has been disclosed in connection with preferred embodiments and that various structural methods and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for forming at least one longitudinally extending rib in the lead end portion of a coiled member and comprising a lower forming roll frame and an upper forming roll frame movably mounted on said lower frame for movement between retracted and rib forming positions, lower and upper parallelly aligned rib forming rolls respectively rotatably supported by said lower and upper frames, an annular rib forming tire coaxially mounted on one of said rolls for rotation therewith, a pair of annular rib forming tires coaxially mounted on said other forming roll for rotation therewith and axially spaced apart sufficient to straddle the forming tire on said one forming roll, the outer peripheries of said forming tires extending radially beyond that of the remaining portions of their respectively associated forming rolls and being in overlapping penetrating relationship when said upper frame is in said rib forming position, means for shifting said upper frame between said retracted and said rib forming positions, means for adjusting the depth of said penetrating relationship of said tires, and means for maintaining said upper frame at an intermediate position between said retracted and said rib forming positions so that the lead end portion of said elongated member may be fed into the machine between said rolls without having a rib formed therein.

2. A machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said maintaining means includes a pair of hydraulic cylinder means mounted on one of said frames each having a plunger actuable between a retracted and an extended position relative to said other frame for maintaining a predetermined minimum spacing between said frames when said maintaining plungers are extended.

3. A machine as set forth in claim 1, including straight edge shearing means for shearing the end of said member defining a straight edge.

4. A machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for displacing said upper frame between said retracted and said rib forming positions is a solenoid controlled hydraulic cylinder, and limit switch means connected to said hydraulic cylinder for operating said cylinder.

5. A machine as set forth in claim 4, including uncoiling means positioned on said machine forwardly of said rolls for uncoiling said lead end portion of said member, said limit switch means being positioned on said machine rearwardly of said rolls and in the path of said lead end portion as said portion is fed into and retracted from said machine, said limit switch means being responsive to a retraction of the free end edge of said end portion past said switch means to de-energize said solenoid controlled hydraulic cylinder, whereby said upper frame is retracted to its retracted position leaving a portion of the length of said member adjacent said free end unribbed for a length dependent on the retraction velocity of said member and the spacing between said rolls and said switch means.

6. A machine for forming a plurality of parallelly aligned longitudinally extending ribs in the lead end portion of a coiled metal member and comprising a lower forming roll frame and an upper forming roll frame pivotally mounted on said lower frame for pivotal movement between retracted and rib forming positions, lower and upper parallelly aligned cylindrical shafts respectively rotatably supported by said lower and upper frames, a plurality of axially spaced substantially identical annular rib forming tires of arcuate cross section coaxially mounted on said lower shaft for rotation therewith, a like plurality of pairs of axially spaced substantially identical annular rib forming tires of arcuate cross section coaxially mounted on said upper shaft for rotation therewith, said tires of each pair of tires on said upper shaft being axially spaced apart suflicient to straddle one of said tires on said lower shaft, the outer peripheries of said tires being of a greater diameter than their said respectively associated shafts and being in overlapping penetrating relationship when said upper frame is in said rib forming position, means for adjusting the depth of said penetrating relationship of said tires, means for maintaining said upper frame at an intermediate position between said retracted and said rib forming positions so that the lead end portion of said elongated member may be fed into the machine between said rolls without having ribs formed therein, solenoid controlled hydraulic cylinder means for displacing said upper frame between said retracted and said rib forming positions, and limit switch means responsive during retraction of said member from said machine to a predetermined length of rib formation to de-energize said hydraulic cylinder means.

7. A method of forming the lead end portion of an elongated coiled member so that said portion extends in cantilever fashion from the coil in a self-supporting manner and comprising the steps of uncoiling said lead end portion, forming a substantially longitudinallyextending rib in said portion from a point adjacent said coil for a predetermined length to a point spaced a predetermined distance from the free end of said member.

8. A method of forming the lead end portion of an elongated coiled member so that said portion extends in cantilever self-supporting fashion from said coil and comprising the steps of uncoiling said lead end portion from said coil, shearing the free end of said member to define a straight edge transversely of the longitudinal side edges thereof, re-coiling said member while forming a longitudinally extending rib in said member for a predetermined length of said lead end portion.

9. A method of forming the lead end portion of an elongated coiled member so that said portion extends in cantilever self-supporting fashion from said coil and comprising the steps of uncoiling a portion of the length of said member and passing said portion between a pair of non-actuated cooperating rib forming roll means, shearing the free end of said member to define a straight end edge on said member transversely of the longitudinal side edges of said member, re-coiling said member while actuating said forming roll means to form parallelly aligned longitudinally extending ribs for a portion of the length of said member.

rib forming roll means are de-actuated prior to complete retraction of said member from said roll means leaving a portion of the length of said member adjacent said straight edge without rib formations.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 19,590 5/1935 Coe 72-183 819,644 5/1906 Flatau 72-180 1,211,460 1/1917 Lindquist 72-180 1,856,151 5/1932 Bloss et al. 72-180 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein said 15 LOWELL A. LARSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MACHINE FOR FORMING AT LEAST ONE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RIB IN THE LEAD END PORTION OF A COILED MEMBER AND COMPRISING A LOWER FORMING ROLL FRAME AND AN UPPER FORMING ROLL FRAME MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID LOWER FRAME FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN RETRACTED AND RIB FORMING POSITIONS, LOWER AND UPPER PARALLELLY ALIGNED RIB FORMING ROLLS RESPECTIVELY ROTATABLY SUPPORTED BY SAID LOWER AND UPPER FRAMES, AN ANNULAR RIB FORMING TIRE COAXIAL MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID ROLLS FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, A PAIR OF ANNULAR RIB FORMING TIRES COAXIALLY MOUNTED ON SAID OTHER FORMING ROLL FOR ROTATION THEREWITH AND AXIALLY SPACED APART SUFFICIENT TO STRADDLE THE FORMING TIRE ON SAID ONE FORMING ROLL, THE OUTER PERIPHERIES OF SAID FORMING TIRES EXTENDING RADIAL- 